Automobile heater



pr'il 17, 1945*. -l-l. J. DE N. lvlcoLLuM 2,373,766

AUTOMOBILE HEATER 2 sheets-sheer 1 Original Filed April 6, 193B e@ er Patented Apr. 17, 1945 AUTGMOBILE HEATER Henry J. De N. McCollum, Chicago, lll.; Thelma McCollum execlltrix o! said McCollum, deceased Henry J. N.

Original application April 6, 1938, Serial No. 200,316. Divided and this application July 20, 1940, Serial No. 346,600 y 4 Elaims. (Cl'. 158-28) My invention relates generally to automobile heaters, and more particularly to heaters vof the internal combustion type.- My invention pertains to an automobile heater of the general type disclosed and claimed in my Patent No. 2,191,173,

issued February20, 1940, and this application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 200,316, led April 6, 1938, now Patent No. 2,260,- 535, issued October 28, 1941.

In my aforesaid copending application is disclosed an automobile heater of the internal comb'uston type in which it is desirable to admit to the combustion chamber an auxiliary supply of air. The particular fuel and air admitting means devised by me for accomplishing this result forni the subject matter of the present invention.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of an improved combustion chamber for internal combustion heaters for automobiles and the like.

Another object of the invention is the provision passageway extending therethrough, the mouth of the nozzle 28 forming a seat for a valve 30 at the end of a valve stem 32. A

The valve stem 32 is manually operated by means of a handle button 34 lsecured at the end opposite the valve 30. 'Ihe valve 30 is located adjacent the outletI end of a clrcuitous passageway 36 formed in a. radiator casting 38. The latter casting is surrounded by a copper shell 40 over which flanged heat radiating fins 42 are pressed.

An apertured baille plate Il covers the ends of the sections of the passageway 36. Air from the y passenger compartment of the vehicle is forced downwardly past the ilns 42 by means of a fan 46 operated by an electric motor 43. The motor, fan, and-radiator are enclosed in a suitable housing 50.

of an improved combustion chamber and means l for supplying fuel to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion heater.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved combustion chamber and means for supplying fuel and an auxiliary supply of air to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion heater.

Other objects will appear from the following description, reference being had to the' accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary central vertical sectional view of an automobile heater incorporating my improved form of combustion chamber and fuel admitting mean; and,

Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive show further modified forms of combustion chambers, fuel and air admitting means, and ignition means for use in automobile heaters, each being a fragmentary central vertical sectional view.

The improved combustion chambers of my invention may be incorporated in a heater of the 24 with the intake manifold 26 of an automobile engine or with any other suitable source of suction. The rate of owof gases of combustion to l :the intake manifom is determined by a, now restricting nozzle 28 having a Venturi-shaped The casting 20 contains a combustion chamber 52, generally cylindrical in shape, the outlet end of which is formed by a reigniter plug 54, which is made of a suitable refractory ceramic material.-

Cast integrally 'withthe casting 20 is a tubular extension 56 which forms the inlet to the combustion chamber 52. Near its outer end, the tubular extension 56` is provided with a plurality of inlet ports 5l and the open end of the tube is closed by an igniter plug 58, which is threaded into the end of the extension. vWithin the igniter plug is an igniter velement 60 comprising a coll of suitable high resistance wire with one end of the coil welded to the plug 58 and the other end welded to a terminal 62 which is suitably insulated from the plug 58. An insulated wire 64 is secured to the outer end of the terminal 62 by .a nut 66 and is connected through suitable switching `means with a source of electrical energy, usually the storage battery of the vehicle upon which the heater is mounted. The plug 58 is grounded by means of a wire 68 welded thereto.

A carbureting device 10 is secured to the tubular extension 56 by a fitting 12. The carbureting dev vice lll'may be of any simple conventional construction, and is herein disclosed as having a Venturi-shaped passageway 1l, to which air is supplied from the atmosphere through ports 16 and gasoline or other liquid fuel is supplied through a jet 18, the nozzle of which terminates adjacent the throat of the passageway 14. Fuel is supplied to the jet 18 through a conduit 80 which is connected to a suitable container 82 of liquid fuel, which, in most instances, will be the float bowl of the engine carburetor, but may be a suitable auxiliary reservoir for gasoline or other fuel.

A suitable device 84 for assuring an adequate supply lof fuel during the starting period is preferably provided so as to facilitate the ignition of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber by enriching this mixture during the initial period of operation.

The carbureting device 1'8 supplies a mixture of fuel and air which is unnecessarily rich, and I have therefore provided an auxiliary air inlet for supplying air at the rate required to effect most emcient combustion. 'I'his means comprises, a perforated preheating tube 88 secured in the tubular extension 56 by a press fit. The tube It has a flange 88 engaging the walls of the bore of the tubular extension 56, the flange also having a plurality of passageways 90 extending therethrough. The inner endfof the tube 88 is held in position by an inwardly projecting shoulder 92 formed integrally with the casting 20. 'Ihe fuel and air mixture is supplied from the carbureting device 'l0 to the interior of the tube 86 through a tube 94 pressed into the fitting 12 and projecting into the interior of the preheating tube.

The tube 94 has a. radialopenlng 86 located approximately at the axis of the tube 86.

In operation, the handle button 34 is pulled outwardly, whereupon the suction commences drawing a Amixture of fuel and air from the carbureting device 10, the suction caused in the Venturi-shaped passageway 'Il of the latter being effective to create suction in the jet 18 and thereby raise the liquid fuel from the fuel supply reservoir 82.. y

By suitable means, not herein disclosed, the electrical igniter contained within the ignlter plug 58 is electrically heated during such period as is necessary to assure ignition of the fuel mixture being supplied to the combustion chamber. The mixture in the combustion chamber will thus be ignited and the products of combustion will flow through the passageways in the reigniter plug 54,

through the circuitous passageway '36 in the radiatorcasting 38,-and hence past the open valve 30, through the conduit 24 into the intake manifold 28. It will be noted that the coil of wire 80 is notI supply fuel at an increased rate for a short period drops of fuel falling upon it would maintain their spherical shape, Just as a drop of water falling upon a hot stove, and the drop would roll into the after the operation of the heater has been imtiated and at a lesser rate thereafter.

To increase the combustion efciency of the device, it is desirable to admit additional air to the combustion chamber, and this is accomplished by means of tube 86.- The mixture of fuel and air provided by the carbureting device 10 connected to the conduit 80 flows through the tube 94 in drops of unvaporized fuel will, due to adhesion,

spread over the inner surface of the tube, and thus present a large surface over which evaporation may take place. Ifthe tube 88 becomes very hot,

combustion chamber. A drop of liquid falling upon a hot surface is more or less insulated from the surface by the vapor formed at the point of contact, and the rate of heat transmission from the hot surface to the liquid is thus lower than if the surface were cool enough to permit the liquid to spread over the surface.

After a short period of operation, the reigniter plug 54 will become heated to a sufficiently high temperature to assure reignition of the combustible mixture being fed to the combustin chamber, should the flame become extinguished accidentally, due to a temporary drop in the intake manifold vacuum, as may occur upon sudden acceleration of the automobile. It is therefore unnecessary that the electrical igniter be electrically heated through the period of operation, and for this reason, thermostatically operating switch means may be provided in the electrical igniter circuit to open the circuit when the temperature of the ,heater attains its normal operating value. Such means are disclosed in my Patent No.

, 2,191,174, issued February 20, 1940, aswell as my Patent No. 2,191,173, issued February 2.0, 1940. As disclosed in these patents, thethermostatic means may also control the supply of current to the motor I8, and thereby cause operation of the fan and circulation of the air in the passenger compartment` of the vehicle only after the heater has attained substantially its normal operating temperature.

40 Various parts of the construction shown in Figs. 2

to 4 inclusive have therefore been `given reference characters similar to those of the corresponding parts illustrated in Fig; 1, wherever the parts bear such similarity.

The modification shown in Fig. 2 is similar to the construction shown in Fig. 1, and similar parts have therefore been given similar reference characters. The flange 98 on the tube 88 is, however,

not perforated,v as is the flange 88, and the auxiliary air inlet .bores |00 are located to the left (Fig. 2) of the flangel 98-instead of to the right of the corresponding flanges 88 'of the construction shown in Fig. l. In this way, the auxiliary air does Anot tend to cool the end of the igniter plug 58, and as a, result, the ignition of the charge by the igniter coil 6U is accomplished more effectively.

It will be noted, moreover, that the point of admission of fthe mixture of fuel and air is spaced a greater distance fromv the ignite ccil 60, so

.that there is less possibility of turbulent' currents of air coming into contact with the igniter co'il and preventing it from. being rapidly heated to its temperature of incandescence.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the ignite "plug 58 is, as in Figs. 1 and 2, screwed into the end of the tubular extension I8 of the combustion chamber casting 28. The supply of auxiliary air is admitted through inlet openings |02 which are located forwardly of the flange 9B of theperforated tube 86, and the supply of the fuel mix- -ture received from the carbureting vdevice 10 iS fed through a. fitting |04 to an annular space |08 surrounding the inner end of the igniter plug il. The latter is spaced a short distance from the end of the tube 88 so as to -provide a passageway for the flow of the combustible mixture into the tube 86. 'I'he flow of the combustible mixture is, however, directed away from the igniter plug 58 and the igniter coil 60, so that the latter may'be heated to the necessary temperatureto cause ignition of the mixture. The charge entering thea space l08 is slightly heated by contact with l the end of the igniter plug 58, and ignition of the charge is thereby facilitated.

In Fig. 4, the igniter plug |08 is threaded in the end of an enlarged tubular projection H of the combustion chamber casting 20 and has a relatively large bore in which is located a per-'-- forated tube H2 which has a partition member lll at its inner (lefthand, Fig. 4) end, which saidA body, said extension forming the inlet to said chamber and being of lesser cross sectional .area than said combustion chamber, a perforated tube of external diameter less than the internal diameter of said extension, means securing said tube in said extension coaxially with respect to the latter, means to supply a mixture of Afuel may be in the form of a flange formed integrally with the tube H2, or in the form of an annulus.

pressed over the tube and contacting ywalls of the bore' in the tubular projection H0. If desired, the tube H2 may be made integral with the igniter plug |08; As inthe construction shown in Fig. 2, the supply of combustible fuel is fed through a tube H6 which projects through the tube H2 and terminates substantially at the axis of the latter. Auxiliary air is admitted to the space I I8 through a plurality of bores |20 formed in the tubular extension H0. The air' in space H8 is heated by the walls of the projection H0 and also, during starting, by the heat transmitted from the igniter coil 60. While the air is being heated, the tube I I2 is correspondingly cooled so that, should any vaporized drops of fuel be supplied through the tube IIB, such fuel will spread over the surface of the inside of the tube H2, and thus vaporize more readily than if the tube were very hot.

While I have shown and described my invention as embodiedlin a variety of forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art ,that the invention may be utilized in other forms of construction. I ytherefore desire, by the following claims, to include within the scope of my invention not, only the constructions herein disclosed, but also such other embodiments of the invention whereby substantially the same results may be obtained by equivalent .means I claim:

1. In an automobile heater of the internal combustion type, the combination of a body having a combustion chamber formed therein and a tubular extension integral therewith communicating with said combustion chamber, suction means for withdrawing the productsof combusy tionl from said chamber, a flanged tube in said tubular extension coaxial therewith of external diameter less than the internal diameter of the and' air to said tube for transmission therethrough to said combustion chamber, a plugV type electrical igniterhaving a resistancev element open to said tube threaded into the outer end of said tubular extension, and portsl through said tubular extension for admitting atmospheric air to the space fbetween said tube and said tubular extension at a point between said igniter and said combustion chamber.

3. In an automobile heater of the internal combustion type, the combination of a casting having a combustion chamber formed therein, a tubular extension formed integrally with said casting, said extension having `a bore therethrough communicating with said combustion chamber and forming the inlet thereto, said bore in said extension being of lesser cross sectional mitting atmospheric air to the space between said tube and said tubular extension.

4. In an internal combustion automobile heater having a body with a combustion chamber formed therein and suction means for\withdrawing the products of combustion from said combustion chamber, the combination of a tubular extension lformed on said body adjacent said chamber, said extension being of lesser cross sectional area than said combustion chamber, an annular sh'oulder at the inner end of said extension, a fiangediperforated tube of external diameter. less than the tubular extension and extending into said combustion chamber, said tube and flange having perforations therein, means to supply a-mixture of fuel vand air to said tube for transmission therethrough to said combustion chamber,v an

ing an annular passageway within said tub extension, said tubular extension having th ports in communicationwith said annular pas'.

- sageway for admitting atmospheric air to the and said tubular entenspscebetweensaidtube and` said fuel supply means.

internal diameter of said extension, said tube being supported in said extension on said shoulde'r and said flange coaxially with said extension and with its walls spaced from the inner lwalls of said extension and extending into said combustion chamber, means for supplyingl amixtu-re of fuel and air to said perforated tube for transmission therethrough to said combustion chamber, an

`electrical igniter secured in said tubular extension adjacent the outer end of said'perforated tube, and means for admitting atmospheric air to the space Ib etweensaid tube and said tubular:-

extension at a point between said .igniter element may i. DE N. MccorLUM.

2. In an automobile heater of ithe internal i 

